Wednesday, 2. November 2011

The Goethe-Institut invites a second round of proposals for the Goethe Satellite, a 2-year initiative which launched in May 2011. The Goethe Satellite is a programming framework where artists and curators are invited to develop innovative and cross-disciplinary German-Canadian projects in Vancouver. The Satellite 2012 is particularly interested in projects relevant to the West Coast/B.C./Vancouver arts scene that bridge cultural relationships with the Asia-Pacific region.

Goethe Satellite Program Organization:
To propose projects for the period between May – December 2012, artists, organizations and collectives must submit a project concept by November 30, 2011.

A concrete project concept, maximum 3 pages, with budget including honorarium, travel costs, venue costs, and production costs as well as related media, biographies and links or samples of work should be sent to:Sonja Griegoschewski, Goethe-Institut Toronto, Director, director@toronto.goethe.org

Profile & Criteria:
• Who can apply: Artists, curators, collectives, organizations
• Focus: Project proposals must be in line with the overall Goethe-Institut mandate of presenting important cultural positions, contemporary ideas and arts practices from Germany to Canada and Canadian audiences. German “content” can be in the form of a collaboration with or involvement of a German artist or curator, a Germany-related topic, a relevant intercultural encounter or exploration.
• Geographic and cultural relevance: Projects should be relevant to the West Coast/B.C./Vancouver arts scene and may bridge cultural relationships with the Asia-Pacific region.
• Content & formats: Projects should focus on dialogue, exchange, experimentation and innovation and may involve a variety of practices including video, media art, photography, sound, electronic music, social media, telematics, or performance.
• Target audiences: Concepts or project components should be accessible and attractive to audiences of all ages
• Please note that the Goethe Satellite is not directed at German heritage projects or academic studies but at professional artistic endeavours.
• Timeframe for Presentation: May – December 2012

The first Goethe Satellite projects 2011:FIT – Freie Internationale Tankstelle, a social sculpture by Dida Zende at the Waldorf Hotel; a commission on the subject of Intangible Economies by Olaf Nicolai for art journal Fillip; a group exhibition at 221A artist run centre curated by Jaz Halloran and Tracy Stefanucci; a solo exhibition by Annika Rixen at Or Gallery Vancouver/Berlin; and a collaborative performance event featuring musicians and artists curated by Instant Coffee with Bernd Milla.

Satellites are mobile platforms that connect people and enable global networks through the reception and transmission of sound, image, data and text. The Goethe Satellite is a moving hub that journeys throughout Vancouver collecting and distributing the voices of collaborating artists, spaces, and curators.

Rather than establishing itself within a singular space, the goal of the Goethe Satellite is to facilitate unique site-specific projects and pop-up spaces around the city, where artists, organizations and collectives will have the opportunity to collaborate, perform, and show work that expands current artistic practices.

The concept is flexible and fluid, and at the same time defined by the objectives of the Goethe-Institut. The Satellite becomes a way of showcasing the intersections of space, community, culture, art, and time. By using different spaces for limited times, the initiative will be able to evolve in both form and feeling within different geographical spaces around the city.

For 50 years, the Goethe-Institut has been promoting dialogue and exchange between Canadian and German artists. The Satellite emerges from the Goethe-Institut’s interest in exploring experimental concepts within contemporary art today, in multiple locations with flexible structures. The Institut believes that Vancouver’s unique location and artistic milieu provides the ideal setting for the Satellite concept.